[Halcyon] Tremblings

It was dark. Too dark. She closes her eyes, then opens them again. It looked the same. Just black. Black everywhere. Stay still, she tells herself. Don’t move. She probably couldn’t anyway, she is so paralysed with fear. That’s the funny thing about terror, isn’t it, she thought. You were supposed to run or stay and stand your ground. Fight or flight. But when it comes down to it, all you can do is freeze.

Maybe he won’t find me tonight. Or maybe he won’t want to… maybe he’ll be tired. No – he would have just ordered me out and screwed me over the kitchen table if he was tired. Maybe he won’t pull my hair then. Or force me down on him.

She knew he liked the game. The chase. That’s why he did this, after all. He could probably fuck any girl he wanted, but he chose to do this instead. And the house was huge, room upon room upon room. There were rooms that they had both yet to discover, untouched by the silent screams and frightened breaths of unwilling playmates.

She hears him chuckle maliciously as he skipped along the corridor. Her chest flutters with each step. He smacks his lips, teasing. “Where’s my little darh-ling?” he asks, his voice lilting in an other-worldly manner. She shivers a little, despite herself, and she hears his footsteps stop. She shrinks into herself, her stomach crumpling into tears. Fuck.

She wants to shut her eyes but for some reason, she can’t. The footsteps start again, faster, more triumphant. The door opens and floods the room with light and she sees him survey the room. Cupboard, wardrobe, table, bed. She nearly breathes a sigh of relief as he turns to leave, but at the very last second he spins back around and drags her out from under the bed.

“HaHA! Nearly got you that time, didn’t I, deaaa-rie?”

She can only smile and nod, his beady eyes boring into her pale lavender irises. She can feel him against her, keening, eager, and she steels herself for it. He pushes her against the wall, his chest heaving with lust and malevolence.

Just close your eyes, darling. It’ll be better in the morning.

This piece was originally published in Issue 4 of Halcyon: The Unknown. Find the original link here.